Adjustable seats for wheelchairs have been around for quite some time. such designs permit the seat bottom and back to be adjusted with respect to the main frame of the chair, either independently or as a unit.
The ability of a seat in wheelchairs to adjust is not only a desirable feature but, in some cases, is a necessity. For example, since the user of a wheelchair may be sitting in the wheelchair for long periods of time, ranging anywhere from several minutes to a full day or more, the orientation of the seat and the positioning of the seats individual components should be configured to provide the user with the maximum amount of comfort. In some cases medical conditions or physical constraints actually require a specific seat configuration. Also, differences in the height and size of the user favor that a chair seat be adjustable to some degree.
One successful adjustable seat design has been marketed by Pride Mobility Products, Inc. of Exeter, Pa. under the tradename VERSA-SEAT. The seat is designed to permit separate adjustment of the back of the seat with respect to the bottom of the seat. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 1, the seat bottom includes a seat frame that has two horizontal spaced-apart tubular longitudinal beams and two lateral cross-bars. The cross-bars are adjustable (i.e., capable of telescoping) so as to permit variation in the spacing of the longitudinal beams. The longitudinal beams include a plurality of mounting holes along the sides of the beams from the front to back ends of the beams. Each end of a cross-bar is bolted to the beams though one of the mounting holes. Using the same mounting hole, a frame mounting bracket is bolted to the beam and mounted to the chair frame. A seat support plate is hinged to a third cross-bar so as to allow the seat plate to be pivoted upward to access the area under the seat. Clips are mounted to the bottom of the support plate and engage with the cross-bars on the seat frame. A seat bottom cushion is attached to the seat support plate.
The back of the seat includes a back frame with two spaced-apart vertical tubular supports or canes and at least one cross-bar. Like the cross-bars on the seat frame, the cross-bar on the back frame is capable of telescoping so as to permit variation in the spacing of the vertical supports. The ends of the cross-bar are clamped to the vertical supports. Each support has a L-shaped bracket welded to its lower end. The horizontal leg of the bracket includes a plurality of mounting holes which are used to bolt the vertical support to selected mounting holes in the beam. The vertical support can be bolted at any longitudinal location along the longitudinal beams. Also, by choosing different combinations of mounting holes on the L-shaped bracket different angular orientations of the back with respect to the seat bottom can be obtained. A back cushion is attached to the vertical supports.
An arm rest is pivotally clamped to each vertical support. A stop 98 may be attached to one of the supports and located at a suitable position below the arm rest so as to prevent or inhibit downward rotation of the armrest below a desired point (e.g., below the horizontal).
The front ends of the horizontal beams are open so as to receive a support frame for a front mounted accessory, such as leg rests, foot rests or foot pads. The support frame is slidably disposed within each horizontal beams. The bolts that attach the forward cross-bar also secure the support frame to the horizontal beam.
Arm rests are attached to the vertical supports so as to permit height adjustment of the arm rests with respect to the seat bottom.
While the VERSA-SEAT system provides a vast improvement over conventional seating systems since it permits a seat to be tailored to a particular user, an even more improved and user friendly seat system would be welcomed by wheelchair users.